Asian Fan Culture And The Role Fans Play In A Star’s Career

This was all news to me.  Their dedication is amazing considering Trespassing hasn't been released in China yet, and YouTube is banned!

By HCLU (@hcluless)

Are you curious about the fact that @glam_alidol seemed to know Adam’s gigs, location, future opportunities and can communicate with Adam’s clients, sponsors and local representative in China?

Let me give you some basic knowledge about the Asian fan culture and the role fans play in a star’s career.

Chinese Adam Lambert Fans & the role they play in his promotion

 

There’s a new tribe in Asia and it’s not formed by geography or bloodline. They are the Star Chasers. They are fans of celebrities, usually performing artists such as singers, TV stars, or movie stars. They are organized and electronically linked. Some fan groups run on membership; has by-laws and collect monthly or annual fees. They can mobilize in a blink of an eye, or plan a PR blitz with lengthy preparation, costumes and props making, bus chartering, hotel booking and crowd gathering. Most importantly, they do all this with their own time and money. In China, some fan groups are known to arrange gigs and pursue sponsorship for their stars, with high success rate.
Usually each star’s tribe has a leader, regional leaders/contacts, camera personnel, social media personnel, event leader, prop persons…. Etc.

In Asia, a star’s caliber depends solely on his/her market value. Therefore, the size and mobility of star’s fan group become very vital. Fan group takes up the responsibility to make the star visible. Most effective way is through the exhibition of critical mass. Therefore, airport welcome is very crucial to get the first wave of ‘the happening’.  

 

 

A big group of people waiting in the airport to welcome someone is going to be covered by print and/or TV media. In China, usually fan groups and media are in communication with each other. Fan groups will make sure that during star’s visit, his/her name will boil social media. Fan groups get information of the star’s whereabouts and any public appearance from his/her agency then show up in a group with signs and other forms of display (even performance such as flash mod dance) to attract attention to star. Fan groups also are called to compete with other fan groups (cheering, screaming, signage) when their star is performing in a concert with other stars. All these are to attract the attention of the media, the potential sponsors and clients and show the star’s management to trust fan groups to help them market their client.

 

In China, fan group usually become the go-between of star and clients. And when an organization or sponsor is interested in using the star’s service, they will talk with the fan group leader to get a scope of how feasible the prospect is and also nail down the fan groups commitment to support that event. The star’s representatives rely on them for opportunities. The bigger the fan group can make the event, the more money clients/sponsors are willing to pay. This cycle will also widen the star’s popularity and visibility, especially in a new market.

And remember, the fans’ service is free!

Back to @glam_alidol and the Chinese Glamberts.

First of all I am in awe at the amount of Adam goodies @glam_alidol managed to fling over the Great Fire Wall of China. (Let’s not talk about it.) Really appreciated that.

So @glam_alidol (Glam, for short) is the head, or face, of these thousand strong Chinese Adam fans. Also as an ambassador on twitter. Because they are official fan group, Glam is the one to contact when planning Adam gigs. Yes, she has direct contact to Adam’s Chinese representative, media, Adam’s client (those who invited him to attend an appearance or hold a concert,) and potential sponsors. (Yeah, there’ll be a concert in Shanghai in March, and they talked to her before submitting permit application. Shhhh)

 

 

 Let’s look at Adam’s latest Shanghai gig. The Chinese glamberts has people responsible for taking pictures and videos. Remember those lit up “A” signs in the venue? Someone made them. A group was responsible for the ordering the big vinyl banner, Trespassing batons and the cute traffic control vests, which happened to be black with yellow stripes. The cute flash mod dancers wearing those batons might looked like bumble bees, yet they are just as hard working. Then there’s the physical gathering at event to ‘create the Happening’ to attract attention. Some fans concentrated on social media traffic, they sent Glam online postings they found, and also post information Glam put up on Weibo into other fansites or entertainment forum. The two Shanghai event coordinators took care of airport trips, publish comportment guideline and itinerary, as well as banner and Trespassing decoration placement at venue. They also work with TV stations to apply for audience passes and verify the individual fans for the station. They are Nikki and Yukari, who always need two weeks to nurse their hoarse vocal chords after Adam left. All these Adam fans come together and get a lot done, voluntarily. They are not paid or compensated, and they are unknown to Adam. They are not a paid membership fan group either.

There were more outrageously expensive activities from fan groups of local artists and K-Pop fans. Glam said her group is actually much looser compared to those.

All in all, I have to say THANK YOU CHINESE ADAM FANS! And thank you Glam, Adam’s underground agent! ☺

 

 
(Above is my own opinion and observation. Please don’t hassle any Chinese glambert, contact me if you have a problem with it. Thank you for reading.)